Nine car companies submitted entries in the 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show design challenge. Each company was tasked with coming up with a highly efficient, sub-1,000-pound car concept.
Daniel Terdiman/CNET

LOS ANGELES--As just about everyone knows, the mandate in the auto industry these days is to try to be more green and more efficient.

That's why this year's version of the annual Los Angeles Auto Show Design Challenge was to come up with a concept for a highly efficient vehicle that is less than 1,000 pounds in total weight.

Nine car companies submitted designs. Here are their entries (click on the following slideshow for full information):